Book Review: A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers

Deceiving, Wicked, and Consumable

Man, have investigative murder mysteries been killing it this year! This is a genre I recently came into and have been obsessed with. So far, I've only had one let down but this book was not it.

Parlor tricks disguised as seances. That is what our main character has been taught since birth and that is what she does to earn her keep. It is her occupation. Although, her mother had taught her it was to console the grieving, not to make out like a bandit. After a seance gone wrong, Genevieve Timmons is arrested for her crimes, yes plural - she is also the prime suspect in a recent death. Jailed and betrayed, her only way out is an agreement made to a stranger offering to be her lawyer, at a price. She must pull off the greatest scheme of her life and console a Lord from a far off estate after his fiance has died.

Do we not love a morally grey MC? Genevieve is cunning and witty. She has ghosts that trail her conscience and a death sentence awaiting her if she doesn't continue her lies and schemes one last time. I thoroughly enjoyed her. She is far from perfect making it enjoyable to see her struggle with each decision she makes. Even better to see her bloom throughout the book not only for the sake of others but mainly herself. Often times the morally grey characters do that which is deemed "villainous" because of the traumas of their past. They have been sidelined their entire life, making decisions for a mentor or a survival method. Getting to see the progression of character makes it more realistic. It's easier to connect with those character types quicker.

Throughout the book we (as in the reader and our MC) are constantly questioning every stranger in the estate- their words, actions, and intentions. We are questioning if ghosts really do exist. Is the estate haunted? Best yet! We get multiple POVS. I honestly am not the biggest fan of traditional POV's. I am, however, a fan of the multiple point of views that are one part current affairs and other part journal entry. Every other chapter is Genevieve, then our deceased bride-to-be through journal entry. Chapter by chapter, we get to piece together what happened the night she died. Chapter by chapter we uncover the dark secrets that have haunted the estate for multiple generations.

Oh, but the romance is wonderful too. You know how there is fantasy and there is romance fantasy? Well, there are gothic mysteries and then there are romantic gothic mysteries. And yes, they are just as good! Imagine the angst of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett or even the Bridgerton series and then give them both a ghostly mystery setting. Delicious. Consumable.

I did. I devoured it. It was quick to set. Easy to turn pages. I wanted to figure out the mystery of it all. There was quite a bit going on this book that kept you interested but not overwhelmed. It all revolves around the past- Genevieve and all who have worked and lived on the estate. There is even "prophecy" wound into the pages that gives us a deadly time line. It all just gets so good the more you get into it. It's one giant puzzle with a high stakes pace. Each character was fantastic and thoroughly served their purpose. The setting of the estate was a perfect dose of creepy. There are half truths that keep it grim. I highly suggest this to anyone who loves a good gothic setting and a mystery to solve. I'm not sure if its just me, my interests changing a bit, or if we are seeing the rise of the Gothic Mystery. I can be sure that they are definitely worthy of it. If I'm right and this genre is about to take off, be sure you get ahead with this one. It sets the pace and you don't want to miss out on it!

4/5 stars

*Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review*